the blog is dead, long live the substack
# tech

the blog is dead, long live the substack

Sometimes the only way forward is to try something new.


why neutron stars may be the coolest objects in the universe
# space

why neutron stars may be the coolest objects in the universe

Neutron stars’ thunder is usually stolen by black holes, but these bizarre objects living on the edge of physics create plenty of fascinating phenomena all on their own.


how social media ruined expertise and how to get it back
# tech

how social media ruined expertise and how to get it back

Thanks to social media, everybody can be a pundit today, and that’s ruining how we build a factual understanding of our world and what’s happening in it.


behold the (terrifyingly badly designed) cyborg of the 1960s
# science

behold the (terrifyingly badly designed) cyborg of the 1960s

Humans have been thinking about modifying themselves to survive the rigors of space flight for a long time now. Thankfully, out ideas for how to do it have vastly improved.


why humans and machines may have no choice but to merge
# tech

why humans and machines may have no choice but to merge

With so many imagining a future where machines exist not just by our side but as parts of us, we may have made sure that we have no choice but to become part robot.

we may be over covid, but covid isn’t done with us
# health

we may be over covid, but covid isn’t done with us

As parts of the world attempt to return to their pre-COVID normal, millions of people are anxious about declaring the pandemic over. They’re right.

how the lack of gravity can scramble your brain
# space

how the lack of gravity can scramble your brain

When you’re not being firmly planted onto a solid surface by gravity, it’s not just your bones and muscles that suffer. It takes a toll on your brain too.

how to cool things to absolute zero using only a laser
# science

how to cool things to absolute zero using only a laser

We’re used to lasers being either death beams, or harmless little points of light. But we also use lasers to cool matter to absolute zero and probe the limits of physics.

why computers will rule nations. and why they’ll fail miserably.
# tech

why computers will rule nations. and why they’ll fail miserably.

To combat humanity’s flaws, some pundits are urging us to give AI the power to govern. These ideas are guaranteed to backfire.

is emotional intelligence the secret to defeating fake news?
# science

is emotional intelligence the secret to defeating fake news?

Mastering your emotions and understanding what others feel and why can make you more resistant to fake news and social media hoaxes.

the next deepfake porn clip to go viral may just be starring you…
# tech

the next deepfake porn clip to go viral may just be starring you…

While pundits worry about the effect of deepfakes on global politics, trolls are using the technology to make fake porn of people they hate. And the victims rarely have any recourse…

are we really all martians?
# space

are we really all martians?

As the international race to explore Mars heats up, some writers are resurrecting an old hypothesis that life on Earth really started on the red planet.

american boomers are experiencing an alarming cognitive decline. we should all worry.
# health

american boomers are experiencing an alarming cognitive decline. we should all worry.

This isn’t just younger generations griping, according to a study of over 30,000 baby boomers, the older generations’ mental capabilities are declining faster than expected.

forget giant domes, cities on other worlds will fit their environments
# space

forget giant domes, cities on other worlds will fit their environments

There are good reasons why designs for human outposts on other planets are starting to look nothing like the typical science fiction tropes with which we’ve grown up.

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